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Energy Efficiency: What has it Delivered in the Last 40 Years?

Author

Listed:
  • Saunders, Harry

    (Carnegie Institution for Science, Global Ecology Group, Stanford, USA)

  • Roy, Joyashree

    (Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand)

  • Azevedo, Inês M.L.

    (Stanford University, USA)

  • Chakravarty, Debalina

    (Indian Institute of Management-Calcutta)

  • Dasgubta, Shyamasree

    (Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, India)

  • de la Rue du Can, Stephane

    (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA)

  • Druckman, Angela

    (University of Surrey, UK)

  • Fouquet, Roger

    (London School of Economics and Political Science, UK)

  • Grubb, Michael

    (University College London, UK)

  • Qiang Lin, Bo

    (Xiamen University, China)

  • Lowe, Robert

    (University College London, UK)

  • Madlener, Reinhard

    (E.ON Energy Research Center, Future Energy Consumer Needs and Behavior (FCN))

  • McCoy, Daire

    (London School of Economics and Political Science, UK)

  • Mundaca, Luis

    (International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics at Lund University, Sweden)

  • Oreszczyn, Tadj

    (University College London, UK)

  • Sorrell, Steve

    (University of Sussex, UK)

  • Stern, David

    (Australian National University)

  • Tanaka, Kanako

    (Japan Science and Technology Agency, Japan)

  • Wei, Taoyuan

    (CICERO Center for International Climate Research, Norway)

Abstract
This article presents a critical assessment of research and practices that emerged over last 40 years that may be brought under the umbrella of “energy efficiency,” spanning different aggregations and domains – from individual producing and consuming agents to economy-wide effects, the role of innovation, and the influence of policy. It highlights advances in understanding the benefits of energy efficiency innovation, improvements in economic and measurement methods and tools, and progress in bending downward the energy use per unit economic output curve, which has taken over a century. We focus on how well deliberate policy actions have influenced energy users in the uptake of energy efficiency. We also note how policies pursued thus far have put less attention on social welfare, inequity issues, and need to better account for complex dynamics associated with how micro actions affect macro outcomes, and to include a richer interdisciplinary approach.

Suggested Citation

  • Saunders, Harry & Roy, Joyashree & Azevedo, Inês M.L. & Chakravarty, Debalina & Dasgubta, Shyamasree & de la Rue du Can, Stephane & Druckman, Angela & Fouquet, Roger & Grubb, Michael & Qiang Lin, Bo &, 2020. "Energy Efficiency: What has it Delivered in the Last 40 Years?," FCN Working Papers 16/2020, E.ON Energy Research Center, Future Energy Consumer Needs and Behavior (FCN), revised Apr 2021.
    • Handle: RePEc:ris:fcnwpa:2020_016
    as

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    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
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    Cited by:

    1. Schreiner, Lena & Madlener, Reinhard, 2022. "Investing in power grid infrastructure as a flexibility option: A DSGE assessment for Germany," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    2. Heesen, Florian & Madlener, Reinhard, 2021. "Revisiting heat energy consumption modeling: Household production theory applied to field experimental data," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    3. Anna Barwińska-Małajowicz & Radosław Pyrek & Krzysztof Szczotka & Jakub Szymiczek & Teresa Piecuch, 2023. "Improving the Energy Efficiency of Public Utility Buildings in Poland through Thermomodernization and Renewable Energy Sources—A Case Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-21, May.
    4. Bongers, Anelí, 2024. "Household behavior and the rebound effect," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    5. Andrzej Pacana & Karolina Czerwińska & Grzegorz Ostasz, 2023. "Analysis of the Level of Efficiency of Control Methods in the Context of Energy Intensity," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-26, April.
    6. Delorme, Maxence & Santini, Alberto, 2022. "Energy-efficient automated vertical farms," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    7. Fouquet, Roger & Hippe, Ralph, 2022. "Twin transitions of decarbonisation and digitalisation: a historical perspective on energy and information in European economies," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 115544, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    8. Diaz de Garayo, S. & Martínez, A. & Astrain, D., 2022. "Optimal combination of an air-to-air thermoelectric heat pump with a heat recovery system to HVAC a passive house dwelling," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 309(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    energy efficiency; energy intensity; efficiency policy; energy efficiency gap; public policy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • N70 - Economic History - - Economic History: Transport, International and Domestic Trade, Energy, and Other Services - - - General, International, or Comparative
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • Q40 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - General
    • Q41 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Demand and Supply; Prices
    • Q43 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Energy and the Macroeconomy
    • Q48 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Government Policy

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